Craig man suspected of dealing meth issued $500K bond

Newton arrested three times in one year on drug distribution charges

Craig resident Melvin Newton, 51, is facing another round of drug-related charges after being arrested Aug. 23 on a warrant for possession of a controlled substance, his third drug-related arrest in one year.

Newton is currently in Moffat County Jail; his bail was set at $500,000 in cash surety bonds.

Additional charges were issued Aug. 24 for alleged distribution, manufacture or possession of schedule I/II drugs, possession of a weapon by a previous offender and violation of bail bonds.

The arrest came after a customer at the east Kum & Go in Craig turned in a small plastic baggie containing a white crystalline substance that he found on the black entry mat the evening of Aug. 15, according to the arrest warrant.

Upon review of security videos, officers observed that Newton was entering through the front door when he appeared to drop a white object as he took his hand out of his pocket.

Ironically, Newton could then be seen speaking with an off-duty sheriff’s deputy when a customer entered the store about two minutes behind him and turned in the baggie to the clerk.

Newton left the store and allegedly returned about 15 minutes later. He looked around the store but didn’t buy anything, according to the arrest warrant.

The substance tested positive for methamphetamines with a total weight, including the bag, of 0.8 grams.

All told, Newton was allegedly found with 6.3 grams of suspected methamphetamines, drug paraphernalia and a significant amount of U.S. currency, according to Commander Bill Leonard with the Craig Police Department. The amount of drugs is enough for Newton to be charged with distribution.

He also had other equipment in his residence, such as scales, packaging material and cash, that indicated he was distributing drugs, Leonard said.

Newton was arrested in Hayden in May after a drug-sniffing dog located 23 grams of methamphetamines in his truck, valued between $2,300 and $2,760. He was released about a week later from Routt County Jail on a $100,000 surety bond.

In another 2016 Moffat County case, Newton was found to be in possession of 323 grams of methamphetamines, according to his May 8 arrest affidavit.

Newton faces jury trials for two criminal cases in late September and early October. His next hearing related to the most recent arrest is scheduled for Sept. 25.